A woman's attempt to take her dog home from the local pub went hilariously wrong, with the pet's stubborn antics leaving viewers in stitches.
Victoria Gill (@vicandherb), a science journalist from Greater Manchester, in the U.K., shared a now-viral video of her 5-year-old Border terrier cross, Herbert, dramatically slumping to the ground as the owner tried to coax him home on his leash. The clip has received over 7,000 likes and more than 180,900 views on TikTok.
Gill told Newsweek: "I decided I'd walk his royal hairy highness home, while my husband and friends went in the car. I figured the dog would appreciate the additional evening walk."
But, as soon as they took a direct route up the hill to their house -- rather than the longer, more scenic walk they usually take -- Herbert had other ideas.
According to Gill, Herbert began pulling in the direction he wanted to go, and when Gill resisted, "he dug his heels in, lay down and rolled onto his side refusing to move."
Gill said the behavior in the viral video was nothing new.
That night, Gill and her friends had gone out for dinner and were heading back to her house. "I got my phone out because I could tell what was coming. As I say -- a classic Herbert move," Gill said.
Herbert, she said, is: "an utterly adorable delight and I am basically his human servant. He is also an oddball and stubborn."
Gill added that Herbert often protests during walks if she takes a turn he doesn't like the smell or look of, or if he wants to visit another dog.
"The anchors go down," Gill said, adding that, in the summer, when it is too hot, "he'll flop down, and I actually have a backpack to carry him in and give him a rest."
Gill said she has had many walks where witnesses laugh as she tries to move "an immovable bundle of floof." Sometimes, she simply gives up and carries him.
"I have a whole collection of these 'Herbert protest flop' videos," Gill said. "My husband and friends love them so I started posting his antics on TikTok for fun."
Herbert's quirks don't end with his protest flops. He enjoys playing air hockey around the house with his food bowl, singing along with squeaky toys, and laying down in streams and puddles.
Gill also shared that Herbert has a special place in her heart since her late mom gifted him to her in 2020 after she adopted a pregnant dog.
After her mother's passing, Gill said the daily routine in walking her pup and him being delighted to see her was an incomparable comfort.
TikTok users couldn't get enough of Herbert's dramatic antics.
"This made me smile this morning," one viewer wrote. Another commented: "Beautiful little soul."
A third posted: "My Ted does this, I pick him up at this point and carry him for a bit."
One commenter simply added: "So funny."